Happy Birthday Shinji
by Epyon Zero
Summary: Its Shinji's Birthday! But does anyone remember?


Disclaimer: I don't own Eva, don't sue me since it isn't worth it. 

  
  
  
  


Happy Birthday Shinji 

  
  


By: Epyon Zero 

  
  
  
  


The blaring of an alarm clock stirred the sleeping body into waking. Brushing the last vestiges of sleep out of his eyes, Shinji Ikari stood up. It was June 6, 2018, his seventeenth birthday. Not that it was anything to celebrate about. He had almost no personal life to speak of, he could count his friends on both hands and his only living family didn't give him the time of day. Letting out a sigh more suited to an old man, the boy shambled into the bathroom. 

  
  


As the shower did its magic, Shinji tried to see any ray of light in the day. About the only thing on this list was the fact that he was still_ alive_ for his birthday. He'd lived through a year of Angel attacks and survived. But he hadn't come away unscathed. During that year he'd gone through nine kinds of Hell, killed one person he'd called friend and sat helplessly why two others nearly died. Toweling himself off Shinji made a silent promise to himself. Never again would he sit by and watch those he cared about be hurt, not while he still drew breath and his body could still move. 

  
  


Getting dressed Shinji moved out into the kitchen and made a quick breakfast and the lunches for himself and Asuka. She was another reason on Shinji's 'ray of light' list, even thought it was a very silent reason. The German girl had been a constant source of turmoil in his life. At various times he's hated the ground she tread on, while at others he marveled at her tenacity. Most of the time he was just confused as to how he had felt about her. Still he was happy she was still around. After the 'incident' with the 15th Angel she'd fell into a coma and it had looked doubtful if she'd ever regain consciousness. The day she had, Shinji had flung himself at her and soaked her hospital gown with joyful tears. 

  
  


For all that happened to him, many things were still the same. Misato still drank like a fish, Asuka still ranted at him, but not as frequently. Rei, was still, Rei. 

  
  


As Shinji was just finishing his breakfast his roommates made their appearance for the morning. Asuka was already dressed for school, while Misato was what you _could_ call dressed, since she was in her night clothes, of a nearly transparent bra, and very short shorts. 

  
  


"Morning Shinji-kun." Misato said as she looked up from her first beer. 

  
  


"Morning Misato-san." 

  
  


"Morning baka."

  
  


"Morning Asuka." Shinji was a bit disappointed. He'd expected that his roommates would at least make an attempt to remember his birthday. _'What else is new. _ He thought. _"I get my hopes up and they get turned to dust right in front of me. The story of my life."_

  
  


*****************************************************************************

School wasn't much better. A few girls had said happy birthday to him, but he didn't really care. Well, that wasn't _quite_ true, he did think it was thoughtful, but he'd really been expecting to hear it from his friends. Which hadn't happened. Letting out a sigh Shinji put his head on his desk and waited out the end of the day. 

  
  


******************************************************************************

  
  


Sitting in Central Dogma's control booth, Dr. Ritsuko Akagi stared at the results from the Children's latest synch test. "Shinji's score is _way_ down. It hasn't been this low in months." 

  
  


Staring down over Ritsuko's shoulder Misato put in her two cents. "I think it may be due to what today is." 

  
  


The blond doctor raised an eyebrow. "What's so important about today, and why would it affect Shinji's synch ratio?" 

  
  


Misato struggled to keep calm, it made _no_ sense to her whatsoever that the person charged with looking after the health of the pilots couldn't even remember their birthdays. "It's his birthday. And _I_ think _he_ thinks we forgot about it." 

  
  


"Well, did you?" the doctor replied.

  
  


"NO! I've been planning something for the last two weeks. I called all of his friends and we're gonna throw him a surprise party." Misato really felt like hitting her friend. The nerve of her, thinking she'd forget the birthday of someone she thought of as her little brother, and/or son she'd never had. "Speaking of which, I need for you to doctor some way for Shinji to stay here a little while longer while we get things ready." 

  
  


A smile softened Ritsuko's face. "Sure Misato, I'll think of something to keep him here. How much time do you need?" 

  
  


Sitting in his office, hands folded in front of his face Gendo Ikari made for an imposing figure. Combined with the etchings of the Systema Sephirothica, it would cause most to quiver. At this time however he wasn't staring off into nothingness as he had pause to do much of the time. Now, he was absorbed by a file that lay open upon his desk. After reading a few more lines he withdrew his mobile phone and dialed a number. "I need transportation for later this evening. See that I get it." as he replaced the phone a minuscule grin cracked his mask. _"Soon. . ."_

  
  


******************************************************************************

  
  


Two hours later Shinji Ikari trudged up to the door of Misato's apartment. He'd had to stay behind because Dr Akagi said that they'd detected some kind of irregularity with Unit-01's S2 organ, so he'd had to stay synched while they checked it over. What this meant was that when Shinji had finally been able to get out of his Eva Misato and Asuka were long gone. Not that he blamed them, they had better things to do then wait for him. _"They don't care, maybe they never cared in the first place"_ With this depressing thought in the forefront of his mind the boy opened the door. Darkness greeted him. "Great!" he muttered, "Nobody home." 

  
  


"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHINJI!!" 

  
  


*****************************************************************************

  
  


The Third Child was visibly shaken. He nearly fell over from fright and then had a hard time regulating his breathing. Arrayed around the apartment were various balloons, and the people he'd thought hadn't remembered his birthday: Toji, Kensuke, Hikari, Rei, Asuka & Misato; and every single one of them were wearing goofy grins. 

  
  


"You should've seen the look on your face." Toji and Kensuke exclaimed as they hustled him inside. 

  
  


"Oh yeah, priceless." 

  
  
  
  


After half an hour Shinji had forgotten all about the thoughts in his head the entire day. In fact he'd made the conclusion he'd never had this much fun in his life. Sitting down to open his presents Shinji's eyes had a shine to them not seen before and his face was made brighter by a genuine smile. The first one was done up in green paper with purple ribbon. Apparently someone had a sense of humor. "That one's mine Shinji-kun. Enjoy." Misato quipped. 

  
  


Stripping away the paper Shinji saw what Misato had given him lying in the box was a brand new set of cello strings. Shinji beamed as he look up at his guardian "Thank you Misato-san!" 

  
  


"Your welcome." was all that the raven haired woman could say. 

  
  


The next one was from Toji and Kensuke. Shinji braced himself for something very, very odd, as his best friends weren't known for their refined taste. However they managed to surprise him. Inside of the box was an etching of Tokyo-3 as it would be seen from inside of an entry plug. Shinji shook his head. "I _don't_ wanna know how you guys managed to get this, but thanks it's a great gift. 

  
  


That left 3 gifts remaining on the table. 

  
  


Shinji went for the one that was wrapped in plain white. The card merely said _"Happy Birthday Ikari-kun, Rei"_ . Slipping open the box Shinji gasped. Rei had gotten him three books of cello music by Bach, Handel and Mozart. 'Do you find my gift pleasing?" the albino asked, her voice carrying a trace of trepidation. 

  
  


"I love it Rei. Thank you." 

  
  


Down to two. 

  
  


Hikari had gotten him a cookbook, since she knew that he enjoyed cooking. Asuka, well Shinji was been surprised that she'd even _gotten_ him a gift. Shinji was brought to the edge of tears when he saw what his roommate had gotten him. It was a silver framed picture of his mother. "How......How....." he stammered. 

  
  


"How did I get it? I had to spend a solid week using the MAGI to look through old files and whatnot. I didn't find anything but Sub Commander Fuyutsuki found one for me after he found out what I was doing." after hearing this Shinji cleared the forming tears from his eyes, and gave the German girl a massive hug, surprising both of them. 

  
  


******************************************************************************

  
  


After everyone had composed themselves Misato had gone and taken out the cake she'd gone out and purchased. It had happy 'Birthday Shinji-kun' in blue lettering with a candy SD Eva-01 in the corner. As she was serving out the cake the buzzer for the door went off. "Somebody get that!" she called. 

  
  


It just so happened that Shinji was the closest one to the door, but Asuka waved for him to stay seated and went over and opened the door. There in the hallway was Commander Gendo Ikari, Shinji's father. He looked down at Asuka, eyes shrouded behind his tinted lenses. " Good evening Pilot Sohryu, is the Third Child in residence?" Too shocked to do anything more Asuka nodded and moved aside to let the Commander enter. 

  
  


All noise ceased as Gendo entered the room. Rei had a look of wonder on her face, while Shinji grew pale. Everyone else let their jaws hang loose. Misato stuck her head in, to see why everyone had quieted down, and had a similar reaction to everyone else. All eyes were glued to the Commander and his son. With one deft move he reached into his coat and withdrew and envelope and a small velvet box. "Happy Birthday Shinji" Gendo said in his cold monotone, then he turned and headed for the door. Almost as an afterthought he turned again and said "Major, please ensure that the Children are in headquarters for the tests tomorrow." With that he was gone back into the inky blackness from whence he came. 

  
  


Shinji now slumped back into the couch, his father's gift still in hand. Regaining some strength, and control of his central nervous system, he opened the envelope. Inside was a letter. 

  
  


_"Shinji, your mother set up this account when you were a baby to pay for your college education. It was her wish that you get it when you turned seventeen. The account currently contains two and a half million yen. The box hold your mothers university graduation ring, that she also wished for you to have. "_

  
  


_Happy Birthday _

_Your Father_

  
  


Tears formed at the edges of Shinji's eyes as he began to cry. "What's wrong Shinji?" Asuka said as she moved to comfort him "Was the gift your Father gave you that bad?" 

  
  


Shinji looked up and after a few seconds found his voice. "N....No, he gave me something Mother wanted me to have."

  
  


"Oh." was all Asuka could manage. 

  
  
  
  


Twenty-five minutes after this everyone had been sent home, the apartment had been cleaned and its inhabitants gone to bed. Well most of them. Shinji was sitting in his room, looking over his birthday presents, especially the ones from Asuka and his father. A smile crosse his face as the young Ikari sighed contentedly. "Heh, and I thought this birthday was going to be miserable." he whispered. Carefully placing the picture and envelope on the aside table and drifted off to sleep. 

  
  


******************************************************************************

  
  


In Eva cage 03, Gendo Ikari gazed up at the head of Evangelion Unit-01. After a few seconds he spoke. "Its done Yui, he got what you wanted him to have," tossing one last look to the purple mecha the Commander turned and strode down the gantry, his footsteps echoing off the cavernous walls. As soon as his footsteps were no longer heard light sparked into the Eva's eyes and something almost resembling a smile was seen on its face.

  
  


******************************************************************************

The End. 

  
  


Author's notes: Well did you like that? This fic was supposed to get put up _on_ Shinji's birthday but I didn't have time, stupid schedule. AND NOW. . . 

******************************************************************************

Omake:

  
  


The Third Child was visibly shaken. He nearly fell over from fright and then had a hard time regulating his breathing. Arrayed around the apartment were various balloons, and there in the middle of the room stood Misato, Asuka and Rei wearing nothing more than Whipped cream and strategically placed cherries, and inviting smiles. "Come on in Shinji-kun" Misato purred. 'The party's just getting started.

  
  
  
  


******************************************************************************

  
  


Omake 2: 

  
  


*Inside of a hospital nursery* 

Epyon: Here we go, Ikari, Shinji. Well now look at you. 

  
  


Baby Shinji: Gah!

  
  


Epyon: Well I've got a present for you. *takes out long, slim box.

  
  


Baby Shinji: Gah! *Kicks air with feet*

  
  


Epyon: Here ya go big guy *takes out blue and White plug suit with 01 stenciled on it.* Don't worry you have 14 years to grow into it. 

  
  


Gendo: Hey, YOU Get the HELL away from _my_ son!! 

  
  


Epyon: Shit! *runs out door, stripping off doctors scrubs* 

  
  


Baby Shinji: Gah! *giggles and sucks on fingers* 


End file.
